Vincent P. Kennedy

Name: Vincent P. Kennedy Company: F & S Surgeon--Assistant Surgeon from April 22, 1862.
Birth Date: July 11, 1824 Place: Butler County, Pennsylvania	Mustered In Date: April 22, 1862 Rank: Assistant Surgeon Age: 37 Residence prior to military service: Butler County, Pennsylvania; Greenleaf, Meeker County, Minnesota Vocation prior to military service: Farmer
Death Date: February 8, 1903 Burial: Lake Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield, Meeker County, Minnesota	Mustered Out Date: May 1, 1865 Rank: Surgeon Age: about 40 Residence following military service: Greenleaf, Meeker County, Minnesota; Litchfield, Meeker county, Minnesota Vocation following military service: Physician

Vincent P. Kennedy Biography and Civil War Narrative

Vincent Pellett Kennedy was born in Butler County, Pennsylvania, on July 11, 1824, the son of Martin and Eleanor Pellett Kennedy. Martin and Eleanor had four other children: Lulu, Melissa Ann, Ella M., and Thurza. Martin also had three additional children with his second wife, Charity Duncan: Tencesce, Ula Anne, and Charles Duncan. In 1849, Vincent Kennedy married Julia A. Rudisill of Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana. She was born September 11, 1829, the daughter of David and Barbara (Carpenter) Rudisill. Julia died on July 13, 1854.

In 1856, Vincent came to Greenleaf, Meeker County, Minnesota. The 1860 U.S. Census shows him farming at age 37. No other family members are listed. The 1860 census also shows a Julia A. Kennedy (age 6) living with Julia Rudisill Kennedy's parents in Greencastle, Indiana, and working as a housekeeper. Also in the David and Barbara Rudisill household is 6-year-old Julia A. Kennedy (born in Indiana about 1854; perhaps her mother, Julia, died in childbirth).

On April 22, 1862, Vincent Kennedy was mustered into the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment as Assistant Surgeon. About May 13, 1862, Dr. Kennedy left Fort Snelling and headed south along with Companies A, E, F, G, H, I, and K. The 5th Minnesota Regiment reported to General John Pope near Corinth, Mississippi, on May 24, where they were attached to the Second Brigade (Loomis), Second Division (Stanley), Army of Mississippi (Pope). They were immediately put to work in the Siege of Corinth, including the battle of Farmington on May 28th. Just over three months later he was promoted to Surgeon when Dr. Francis B. Etheridge resigned. Dr. Kennedy served through the remainder of the Civil War, providing medical care to the sick and wounded through the battles of Corinth (October 4, 1862); Mississippi Springs (May 13, 1863); Jackson, Mississippi (May 14, 1863); Satartia, Mississippi (June 4, 1863); Mechanicsburg, Mississippi (June 6, 1863); Richmond, Louisiana (June 15, 1863); the assault and siege of Vicksburg (May 18-July 4, 1863), the Red River Campaign (March 10-May 22, 1864), the pursuit of Price through Arkansas and Missouri (September 17-November 15, 1864), the Battle of Nashville (December 15-16, 1864), and the campaign against Mobile, Alabama (March 7-April 12, 1865).

Following the Red River Campaign, Major John C. Becht reported, "Great credit is due to Surgeon Kennedy, one of the leading operating surgeons of the command, and his assistant, Dr. Leonard, for their exertions in behalf of the wounded" [Report to Colonel Oscar Malmros dated May 25, 1864]. Similar accolades were given by William B. Gere following the Battle of Nashville: "Surgeons Kennedy and Leonard were untiring in their efforts in the care of the wounded, both upon the field and at the hospitals" [Report dated December 18, 1864, to Lieutenant Thomas P. Gere, Acting Assistant Adjutant General, Second Brigate, First Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee].

When Dr. Kennedy's term expired May 1, 1865, Dr. William H. Leonard was promoted to Surgeon. The next two years following his service in the Civil War, Dr. Kennedy also was the physician of the Indian post at Red Lake, Minnesota. He returned to his medical practice at Greenleaf, Minnesota, and in 1875 he moved to Litchfield, Meeker County, Minnesota. Meanwhile, back in Indiana, the 1870 census shows Julia A. Kennedy living with her uncle Milford Rudisill in Greencastle.

Vincent married Caroline Rudisill, the sister of his first wife, born 1835 in Greencastle, Putnam County, Indiana. The 1880 U.S. Census shows Vincent (56-year-old Physician) and Caroline (45-year-old wife, keeping house) living in the village of Litchfield, Minnesota. With them is their 11-year-old son, Louis K. (at school; born in Minnesota).

Dr. Vincent Pellett Kennedy died February 8, 1903, at the age of 78 and was buried in Lake Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield, Meeker County, Minnesota. Caroline moved to San Francisco where she died March 8, 1919, at about age 84.

[5th Minnesota Home] [Field & Staff] [Tim Bode] [Tim Bode's Music Page]

This page is maintained by Tim Bode (timbode@juno.com ). Last modified on 1/12/09.